Magico Mini II vs. Magico V2 comparison

Dave you argue price. But for many on this site price is no object. Some people have millions of dollars in the bank. Some people race cars, fly planes, or buy houses as hobbies. Thirty grand might be nothing to them but having a GOOD LOOKING and sound speaker might matter.

Also while and orchestra might be a wall of sound (depending on venue), small bands and voice simply are not. Large dipole speakers can make everything have a similar sound stage. Lets not forget that the microphones that record the piece are point source and orchestras only use a few microphones to record at one time. Arguably you need a point source to recreate a point source accurately.

A point source is much easier it integrate into room apposed to a dipole. So while you may be hearing less "box" with magnepan you are hearing more of the larger box (your room), than with a good point source speaker. A good sized room (not too large) with point source near-field listening is almost always the best way to get good sound-stage and imaging because it minimizes room effects. Which bring up back to the advantages of the Magico mini and the SUBJECT OF THE ORIGINAL THREAD.... Magico.

I understand James63, believe me! I am not a novice and have owned many $100K systems in various homes over the years...most of them box based. For orchestral, planars sound far more natural. Jazz also sounds more continuous and existing in the same space. In addition, my planars have more natural tone across the board..smoother strings, large soundstage, exceptional treble (best in the business), amazing reproduction of overtones and a quikness that adds far more coherency than most any conventional speaker system. Just play a piano piece and anyone who has been around live piano music frequently (that's me) can hear the difference...my 3.6R's give you the whole piano clearly, coherently and with accurate pitch defintion. Even squeezing a Baby Grand through a largish box design can be difficult. But, I will allow you to return to your regularly scheduled insanity with no further interruptions :O) No hard feelings, I remember my first couple pairs of Wilsons and then Dyn's, even my Dunlavy SC-V's etc.. When you want to believe in something bad enough you will...at least for awhile. My biggest pet peeve is that very little work is being done to really advance the state of the art in audio playback...month after month of cover stories featuring another groundbreaking box speaker (not). FYI, the best box speaker I've heard is Avalon with Spectral gear.

No doubt this has gotten a bit carried away.JM Labs and Magico are only a small sample of "fine sounding" speakers.

French,Smench....Puhleeeze!

I can understand the human element here,but having been in the hobby for 40 years,I've heard it all!!

ALOT of varying great stuff!!If someone pidgeon holes specific designs into "one" category,sadly they have been in this for too short a period...BTW, I am making a generalized statement,without pointing a finger to anyone in particular.

Btw,a GREAT alternative amp for a Magico is the Cary 211 Anniversary Edition....THAT is what a powerful tube amp should look/sound like.No dumb moving parts/fans,and a great circuit!

Best

>>11-03-09: Sirspeedy
I've heard it all!!<<

No way.

Not a chance.

Nope.

Hmm,well in this case you are correct Audiofeil,but why be so literal?.....Of course,there could be a hidden agenda...Hmm!

Back to the MINI,and my simple opinion...to get back to topic(partly).

These are truly GREAT speakers!!I'm assuming a buyer is going to put them in a "proper" room.One that is of a size that allows for good "room loading".Mid size and maybe a touch larger,and the "sub" question should not be a factor at all,IMO.

I've heard these speakers do deep/linear bass in a mid size-ish room and with superb impact/dynamics.

When you consider the aesthetic element,and build quality,they rae an amazing design.

I've come to appreciate these new age two way designs.There are a few around(not only the Mini).

When driven well,they simply are NOT there,and are amazingly coherent.This all started(for me)when I first heard the Kharma 3.2's(I think that is the numerical name...but it was the fabulous two way)driven by the Lamm 2.1 amps.

Big designs,though they have their place,just began to look like fossils after exposure to a great two way,like the MINI!!

I did hear the V-2 for a short while,but I guess it's plain Jane look affected my sensibilities.I thought them to be very nice,but also felt the MINI was more coherent....and....

the MINI "does" deep enough and powerful enough bass to not worry me at all.

Still,I am always looking for the "next" Mini type design,at a more affordable price...ya never know-:)

Btw,I'm willing to bet the Clayton M-200's would be an amazing amp on "any" Magico!

In SS amps,it seems that every six months there is some new,rediculously expensive amp that gets a rave review,and suddenly "that" becomes the "it" product for a while.

The Clayton stuff is very well priced,and it's designer is a flat out genius in "circuit" design.

Just my opinions.Nothing more.